The Panasonic ST60 is a very good plasma TV. It doesn't get very bright, but it does a very good job at reducing reflections, as shown in our pictures. Of course, it has the downsides of all plasma TVs, like being heavy and creating slight buzzing noise (read more about plasma here). If you can live with that and do not have a very bright living room, it is a no-brainer; its contrast ratio is astonishing.

Due to its powerful anti glare filter, there is very little reflection. The ST60 cannot get very bright, though, so if you have more than one window, the picture will appear a bit dull. If you have a lot of windows and still want a plasma, the Samsung F8500 is a better choice, because it can get twice as bright and also has an anti glare filter.

Smart Features

Conclusion

The Panasonic ST60 Plasma TV has the best blacks that we tested. It is an exceptional TV overall, with almost no downsides. If you are picky, though, you will notice a bit of input lag. Also, it won't perform well in an overly bright room because it can't get very bright.

The X60, S60, ST60, VT60 and ZT60 will be the last plasma TVs that Panasonic will ever produce. The last factory will close this December and they intend to sell their last plasma TV by March 2014. While they are among the best value and the best picture quality of any TV, Panasonic was still losing market share and money. They are cutting their losses and concentrating on the next technology.

If you were waiting to get your hands on one, you better hurry. The S60 is already out of stock in some sizes.

We are considering purchasing the Panasonic Plasma ST60 for our living room. The room is about 17' x 15' with double windows on one wall to the right of the tv. There is also a door with a window in the room that leads to outside. I don't consider the room to be overly bright, but it is not like a basement room. Do you think the room would be able to handle a plasma television in regards to light, or would be better suited to a LED?

You should be fine, especially considering the ST60 has an anti-reflection filter.

I am considering buying the Panasonic ST60 Plasma (50"). The alternative (almost same price) is the F6500 LCD from Samsung (which is 55"). Which one do you recommend? I will mainly use the TV for normal channels, sports (F1, MotoGP, soccer), and movies. I do not plan on using 3D much. I also wish to be sure that both TVs can read mkv files from a USB key. I will keep the TV for at least five years, with a use of no more than three hours per day, on average.

Both are good TVs, so it will depend on your room. The ST60 cannot get as bright as the Samsung LED, but has better blacks. Therefore, if you have a somewhat dark viewing environment, get the ST60. Both TVs can support the main codecs of the .mkv container files over USB.

Want to spend between $700 to $800. Not interested in gaming, 3D, wifi, or any of that. I'm aiming for the best picture and might go higher in price to achieve that.
Our space will only take a 50 or 51 inch. Like watching movies and occasionally other things. Plasma and LED are options. Like Panasonic and Samsung open to others if good! Many thanks for any help in narrowing down a choice.

How much light is there in your room? If you watch TV in a dark/dimmed room, get the Panasonic S60. If you have windows and watch TV during the day, get a Samsung LED series 5 or 6, whatever is the cheapest - they all have the same picture quality. If the Samsung LED is out of your budget or you need a wide viewing angle, get a LG series 5 or 6 (again, whichever is the cheapest).

I am looking at a GT50 from 2012 in a home and the PQ is great. The GT series doesn't exist in 2013. Is the current equivalent the ST60 or the VT60 (or, I suspect, GT is between those two and there is no current equivalent?)

It is more equivalent to the VT60 than the ST60 due to its THX Mode and number of shades of gradations.

Great review of the ST60! Will there be any issues with plasma 'burning-in' if i watch a lot of wide screen movies where the top and bottom is always black?

Image retention can happen with every plasma (even sometimes LEDs). It usually goes away after a few minutes. Black bars are less of an issue than static bright images, so don't worry about it (unless you are doing 10h movie marathons every single day).

I am experiencing dithering and posterization on my st60 55". How can I minimize it?

Dithering is expected in all plasma TVs and can't really be reduced. It usually not an issue at a normal viewing distance, though. The only way to reduce it is to lower the luminosity of the screen. On the other hand, posterization shouldn't happen. Are you using a quality source like a Blu-ray or a low bit-rate encoded video?

I am so happy that I had an opportunity to buy a 42 inch Panasonic ST60 in May 2014. My unit was the last one in the local store. I have checked out so many LED TVs, and every time I have been disappointed. One of the most distracting things about LED TVs is the DSE (dirty screen effect). Last year's LG panels were totally awful. But I liked them otherwise, so I was planning on buying one of 2014's LG LED models. So I am grateful to you that you saved my money! Your test of the LB5800 showed that there aren't any improvements this year. But my ST60 is absolutely great! The only real problem is daytime viewing: you must have good curtains to block the sunlight.

I'm considering the ST60 50 inch for my bedroom. I watch movies at night, eight feet away from the TV. Is it too big for such distance? Also, does it get so hot that it affects room temperature? Please advise. Thanks!

That size is perfect for that distance (unless you are watching non-HD material). It does get hot, generating about as much heat as a desktop computer. Unless it is turned on all day long, I doubt it will affect the temperature of the room in a noticeable way.

I just bought a ST60 for my bedroom, thank you for having such a wonderful web site. The picture is indeed incredible; it's a shame that Panasonic will stop manufacturing plasmas.
Can you give me some tips regarding the first 100 hours of use? I've heard that I shouldn't pause the pictures, should always use a full screen, and avoid using channels with permanent "logos" during this time. Why is that? Also, is there a way to get rid of annoying pop-up ads?

You can disable the ads by going to Menu > Setup > Display Customization > Viera Connect Banner > Off. As for the break-in period of 100 hours, there's debate as to whether it's necessary. The logic is the screen is more sensitive to image retention in the first hundred hours, so you want to be careful with any static images.

If Panasonic stops producing plasma, will that have an effect on the aftersale support/replacement parts/repair capability etc.?
And for the ST60's brightness, isn't that also a setting that can be adjusted to your liking?

It will probably affect the support yes. For example, they won't be able to offer a new replacement (or an equivalent new model), where they sometimes currently do.Yes, the luminosity of the screen can be adjusted. In our tests, we always take two measurements: one calibrated as close as possible to 100 cd/m2 (which is used in our pictures) and another one at the maximum (just to get the number). In the case of the ST60, the maximum was 81.99 cd/m2 anyway.

I have an ST50. I'm having issues in figuring out what to set my gamma level to. To me, 2.0 looks good, but everywhere else says 2.6. That is to dark for me and it's hard to see anything. Can you clear up on what this actually does?

Gamma affects the curve of the shades of gray. The higher you set the gamma, the darker the shades of gray will be (and also all the other colors). If you set the gamma too low, the picture will be too white. If you set it too high, you won't be able to see what is in the shadows. It is a matter of personal preference, though. In our reviews, we calibrate TVs to a 2.2 gamma level.

I am looking for a plasma to replace my 42" Philips plasma. I noticed the 50" plasmas from Panasonic and LG are too wide: 46+" vs 50 inch LEDs around 44". Is the aspect ration different for plasmas than LEDs? Any suggestions, as I need a TV no wider than 44.3"?

The aspect ratio is the same, but the borders are usually a lot thicker on plasma TVs. You will either have to go down in size or go for an LED.